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Henry David Thoreau Quotes - Page 30

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Any man knows when he is justified, and all the wits in the world cannot enlighten him on that point. The murderer always knows that he is justly punished; but when a government takes the life of a man without the

Any man knows when he is justified, and all the wits in the world cannot enlighten him on that point. The murderer always knows that he is justly punished; but when a government takes the life of a man without the consent of his conscience, it is an audacious government, and is taking a step towards its own dissolution.

Henry David Thoreau
Men, Steps, World
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Citizen Thoreau: Walden, Civil Disobedience, Life Without Principle, Slavery in Massachusetts, A Plea for Captain John Brown”, p.252, Graphic Arts Books

Seen from a lower point of view, the Constitution, with all its faults, is very good; the law and the courts are very respectable;even this State and this American government are, in many respects, very admirable, and rare things, to be thankful for, such as a great many have described them; but seen from a point of view a little higher, they are what I have described them; seen from a higher still, and the highest, who shall say what they are, or that they are worth looking at or thinking of at all?

Henry David Thoreau
Thinking, Law, Government
Henry David Thoreau (2004). “Walden and Other Writings”, p.108, Bantam Classics

It might be seen by what tenure men held the earth. The smallest stream is mediterranean sea, a smaller ocean creek within the land, where men may steer by their farm bounds and cottage lights. For my own part, but for the geographers, I should hardly have known how large a portion of our globe is water, my life has chiefly passed within so deep a cove. Yet I have sometimes ventured as far as to the mouth of my Snug Harbor.

Henry David Thoreau
Ocean, Men, Sea
Henry David Thoreau (1873). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.255

Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin!

Henry David Thoreau
Inspiring, Meaningful, Women

Almost any man knows how to earn money, but not one in a million knows how to spend it.

Henry David Thoreau
Money, Men, One In A Million
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.2207, Delphi Classics

The bad are frequently good enough to let you see how bad they are, but the good as frequently endeavor to get between you and themselves.

Henry David Thoreau
Good Enough, Enough, Endeavor
Henry David Thoreau, Jeffrey S. Cramer (2007). “I to Myself: An Annotated Selection from the Journal of Henry D. Thoreau”, p.215, Yale University Press

If the alternative is to keep all just men in prison, or give up war and slavery, the State will not hesitate which to choose.

Henry David Thoreau
Giving Up, War, Men
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.293, Simon and Schuster

A noble person confers no such gift as his whole confidence: none so exalts the giver and the receiver; it produces the truest gratitude. Perhaps it is only essential to friendship that some vital trust should have been reposed by the one in the other. I feel addressed and probed even to the remotest parts of my being when one nobly shows, even in trivial things, an implicit faith in me.... A threat or a curse may be forgotten, but this mild trust translates me.

Henry David Thoreau
Friendship, Trust, Gratitude
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Familiar Letters (Annotated Edition)”, p.49, Jazzybee Verlag

But it is fit that the Past should be dark; though the darkness is not so much a quality of the past as of tradition. It is not adistance of time, but a distance of relation, which makes thus dusky its memorials. What is near to the heart of this generation is fair and bright still. Greece lies outspread fair and sunshiny in floods of light, for there is the sun and daylight in her literature and art. Homer does not allow us to forget that the sun shone,--nor Phidias, nor the Parthenon.

Henry David Thoreau
Art, Distance, Lying

How sweet it would be to treat men and things, for an hour, for just what they are!

Henry David Thoreau
Sweet, Truth, Integrity
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.361, Penguin

It is a momentous fact that a man may be good, or he may be bad; his life may be true, or it may be false; it may be either a shame or a glory to him. The good man builds himself up; the bad man destroys himself.

Henry David Thoreau
Truth, Men, Evil
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Familiar Letters (Annotated Edition)”, p.133, Jazzybee Verlag

Cold and hunger seem more friendly to my nature than those methods which men have adopted and advise to ward them off.

Henry David Thoreau
Men, Friendly, Cold
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.412, Simon and Schuster

Let things alone; let them weigh what they will; let them soar or fall.

Henry David Thoreau
Patience, Fall, Action
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.361, Penguin

Do not entertain doubts if they are not agreeable to you.

Henry David Thoreau
Doubt, Ifs
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.363, Penguin

We are independent of the change we detect. The longer the lever, the less perceptible its motion. It is the slowest pulsation which is the most vital. The hero then will know how to wait, as well as to make haste. All good abides with him who waiteth wisely; we shall sooner overtake the dawn by remaining here than by hurrying over the hills of the west.

Henry David Thoreau
Change, Patience, Hero
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.532, Simon and Schuster

You can hardly convince a man of an error in a lifetime, but must content yourself with the reflection that the progress of science is slow. If he is not convinced, his grandchildren may be.

Henry David Thoreau
Grandchildren, Reflection, Men
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.45, Xist Publishing

If you're familiar with a principle you don't have to be familiar with all of its applications.

Henry David Thoreau
Principles, Familiar, Application

Go confidently ... Live the life that you imagined.

Henry David Thoreau
Live Life

Truly the stars were given for a consolation to man.

Henry David Thoreau
Stars, Men, Given
Henry David Thoreau (1992). “The Essays of Henry David Thoreau”, p.100, Rowman & Littlefield

If Columbus was the first to discover the islands, Americus Vespucius and Cabot, and the Puritans, and we their descendants, havediscovered only the shores of America.

Henry David Thoreau
Islands, America, Firsts
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.560, Delphi Classics

It is remarkable that, notwithstanding the universal favor with which the New Testament is outwardly received, and even the bigotry with which it is defended, there is no hospitality shown to, there is no appreciation of, the order of truth with which it deals. I know of no book that has so few readers. There is none so truly strange, and heretical, and unpopular. To Christians, no less than Greeks and Jews, it is foolishness and a stumbling-block.

Henry David Thoreau
Christian, Appreciation, Block
A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers (1849)

A sufficiently great and generous trust could never be abused.

Henry David Thoreau
Trust, Optimism, Generous
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Familiar Letters (Annotated Edition)”, p.50, Jazzybee Verlag

I have tasted but little bread in my life. It has been mere grub and provender for the most part. Of bread that nourished the brain and the heart, scarcely any. There is absolutely none on the tables even of the rich.

Henry David Thoreau
Heart, Brain, Tables
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Familiar Letters (Annotated Edition)”, p.131, Jazzybee Verlag

The divinity in man is the true vestal fire of the temple which is never permitted to go out, but burns as steadily and with as pure a flame on the obscure provincial altar as in Numa's temple at Rome.

Henry David Thoreau
Men, Fire, Rome
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.930, Delphi Classics

I trust that some may be as near and dear to Buddha, or Christ, or Swedenborg, who are without the pale of their churches.

Henry David Thoreau
Church, May, Christ
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.47, Xist Publishing

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